barbel



IE. A. BA-RBET. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF ETHER.

APPLICATION FILED )ULY 5,1919.- L.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

.Fig/1 Patented NOV. Z1, 1922.,

E. A. BARBET. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF ETHER.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 5, I9I9. ,!=36,?32y Patented NOV. 21, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig@

. /QI Sarina/ /A fen/EN.

Patented Novo 2l, i922,4

stares EMLE AUGUSTN BARRET, OF EARIS, FRANCE, ASSGNE, TG E. BARRET @s ET I CIE., OF PARTS, FRANCE.

arranarns rca rei; conrinnons raonuorrori @or nanna,

Original application filed May 5, 1916,`Seria1 No. 95,613. Eivic'le and this application filed E, 1919,

. Y Serial No. 368,397.

have invented certain new and useful lm-` provements in Apparatus for the Continuous Production of Ether, of which the following is a speciiication. l

rlhis invention relates to the production of etheru lt is known that the reaction between sulphuric acid and'ethyl alcohol which produces ethyl ether comprises two stages ln the irst stage the alcohol is dissolved in the acid torproduce the compound ethyl sulphuric acid. y

In the second stage the ethyl sulphuric acid is decomposed by heat, with the lformation of ether.

This ether however is not pure as it coritains a certain amount of undecomposed alcohol which' depends upon the greater or less predominance of the acid in the mirture treated.

Hitherto the formation and decom osition of the ethyl sulphuric acid has usua ly been" effected in one and the same boiler or vessel although these two operations are essentially opposed to each other. lt has however been proposed to effect the formation of ethyl sulldhuric acid, and the decomposition of the said aci-d in two stages.

The present invention has now for its object to provide an improved apparatus for the continuous production of ether.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example two forms of apparatus, in accordance with the invention. ln the drawings Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional elevation ci the general arrangement of one apparatus.

Figure`2 is a corresponding view of the second apparatus. y

rl`he irst stage of the process which consists in causing the alcohol to combine with the sulphuric acid is eected in the apparatus according to the present invention in the Jfollowing manner:

rl`he alcohol passes into a tubular heater A wherein it is converted into vapour. This vapour is led by a pipe B into the bottom of a device C which is lead lined and contains dividing materials such as porcelain balls, lead plates perforated with small holes, or a charge of broken quartz in which device `the alcoholand sulphuric acid are brought together.

The bottomoi the device C in which the alcohol is caused to react with the sulphuric acid communicates by a pipe D with the lower part of a boiler D containing acid at a hightemperature. The acid from which the ether has been distilled Hows from the lower part of the boiler D through the pipe D into` the lower part of the device C.,

The acid and the alcohol are thus brought into intimate contact in the device C wherein the dividingn materials merely cause the bubbles of vapour to become subdivided in the acid, thus providing a greater number of contacts for the purpose of increasing the combining points of the alcohol with the acid to facilitate the production ci ethyl sulphuric acid.

rEhe ethyl sulphuric acid formed in the device C enters through a pipe C into the upper part of the boiler D* which is made of metal plate 4lined with lead. This boiler contains a loaden heating coil E in which steam under pressure circulates. The ethyl sulphuric acid which h as already high temperature on its entry'into the boiler, is thereby iur-ther heated; decomposition of the ethyl sulphuric vacid takes place and the ether vapour rises to the 'top of the boiler whence it is withdrawn for rectification. lt will be seen that the How of the liquid in C is upward and in D downward thus ensur-1 ing completeness ofthe reaction and certainty, of lio-w.

When the ethyl sulphuric acid reaches the bottom of the boiler D it contains necessarily a predominance of sulphuric acid (or a deiiciency of ethyl sulphuric acid)` and hence when it passes through the pipe D it is in the best condition for reconiniencing its cyclic process and *for again combining with alcohol in the vessel C.

The sequence of the two sta-gee place in the apparatus according to the invention effected in the absence of any heating, whilst in the other stage the heating is the fundamental feature of the operatlon.

Referring now to the second apparatus according to vthe invention illustrated in Figure 2;

F G is a tubular apparatus for heating the alcohol and is hereinafter referred to in detail.

The alcohol after passing 'through the tubular apparatus enters through the pipe -H into the chamber I in which the combination of the alcohol and sulphuric acid takes place after havingicome into. contactA with the acid which enters the pipe H from the pipe J.

This device in which the ethyl sulphuric acid is decomposed contains as in the preceding case, dividing materials or perforated plates. ,i

The formation of ethylsulphuric acid is effected in a complete manner .in the chamber I by reason of the intimate mixture of the acid and alcohol, and the ethyl sulphuric acid passes into the coil E located in the vessel L and the steam under pressure is led into the said vessel (which vessel and the supports for the coil consequently need not be made of lead) so that it heats the ethyl `sulphuric acid to cause the decomposition of the latter thereby effecting the second stage of the process, involved in the:

5 closed. .If on the other hand the level production of ether.

The acid which is saturated with alcohol commences to boil as soon as it enters the coil. Being driven forward bythe bubbles of vapour it rises more and more rapidly in the convolutions of the coil and issues forcibly into the receiver N (which may form the lower member of an ordinary saturator).

The alcohol is fed in through the regulator M into the bottom'of the tubes of the heater F and 'thence rises through the open space connecting the two heaters and through the tubes ofthe heater G.

The `ether vapours ,are thus driven olf and then the acid-partially freed from ether Hows down again through-the pipe J for the purpose of being treated to increase its content of ethyl sulphuric acid afresh, and the cycleof the two stages is repeated continuously as before.

Mitscherlich in studying the processes of the etherification of alcohol, `recognized that the phenomenon was identically the same Whether the alcohol was injected in the liquid state into the acid or injected in the state of .vapor into the acid.

When it is desired to inject the alcohol in the liquid st'ate it is merely necessary to dispense with the tubular vessels A, F, Gr, in the two formsvof apparatus hereinbefore described, and: to supply the alcohol in the cold state directly pipe H.

In the apparatus shown in Figure 2, the preheating of the alcohol is effected without cost by recovery of the heat of the water of condensation which is produced in the vessel L,by means of the automatic discharge device O. If desired, Ito this hot water there may be added the residual liquors of the rectifier (not shown).

If it is preferred to inject the alcohol in the state of vapour, either the apparatus shown in Figure 1 (heater A) or the apparatus shown in Figure 2 (heaters G and F) may be em loyed.

The heater differs from the heater F in that it is provided with a steam lre ulator. It is preferred to employ expan ed or exhaust steam of 100"y to 105o C since the alcohol is subject to partial decomposition at high temperatures. The volume of alcohol -which4 is to be introduced is regulated by means of the trap M. The heater G should be supplied with justthe amount through the pipe B )r of steam which is necessary for producingthe vapour. For this purpose the boiling alcohol acts upon a float S which acts in its turn through suitable levers upon the handle of a throttle valve T provided at the inlet of the heating steam. When too much steam enters the level of the alcohol sinks since the vaporization is excessive, whereupon the throttle valve will be partially tends to rise through insufficient vaporization, the float will also rise land thus open more the orifice; for the admission .of heatinfr steam.

it .is to be noted `that in addition to the advantages hereinbefore stated, the improved apparatus allows of employing always the same lacid which is constantly being .regenerated with the same degree 'of hydration, and only a small quantity of acid is used.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to [secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for the continuous production of ether comprising a tubular alcohol heater, means for eading the alcohol vapour formed in said heater from the top thereof to the base of a mixing device, means for leading to the base of the mixing device hot sulphunic acid poor in ethyl sulphuric acid, means for leading the acid product nich in ethyl sulphuric acid from the head of said lmixing device to a boiler, rmeans for leadin away from the top of said boiler the et er formed" 'therein and means lfor returning the acid substantially freed from ether to the mixing device.

2. Apparatus for the continuous production of ether comprising a tubular alcohol heater, means for leading the alcohol'vapour formed in said heater from the top thereof to the base of a `mixing device, means for leading to the base of the mixing device hot sulp'huric acid poor in ethyl sulphuric acid, means 'for leading the acid product rich in ethyl sulphuric acid from the head of said mixing device to a sulphurio acid boiler, tubular means arranged Within said.l

boiler to heat the sulphur-ic acid therein, means for leading ether from the head of said boiler and means for leading sulphuric acid subtantially free of ether from the base of said boiler tothe base of the mixing device;

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

EMILE AUGUSTIN BARBET. 

